Allegiance Update Beta 2

Total War Saga: THRONES OF BRITANNIA

Ella McConnell

August 2 2018

Today the second version of the Allegiance beta is now available, which includes changes made as a result of feedback gained on the first beta as well as introducing other additions and changes to the game we have wanted to make. The big new addition is Decrees, a version of the Rites system from Total War: WARHAMMER II that allows players to make a choice to spend something in return for a bonus for a number of turns. We’ve also made large changes to mechanics like Heroism, Legitimacy, Tribute, Here King and introduced a new mechanic called the Burghal system for the English Kingdoms.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to how you can get involved:

Restart Steam

Find Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia in your Steam library

Right click Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia and go to Properties in the drop-down menu

Go to the Betas tab

In the drop-down menu under Select the beta you would like to opt into: select Allegiance_1

A few key things to bear in mind before you get started:

IMPORTANT: The update is save game compatible but the changes we’ve implemented may impact your campaign (also many changes will only apply to new save games)

This beta is the first iteration of the Allegiance Update – more will be added in a new beta before the update is fully deployed to all players

Please start a new campaign to get the full experience of the changes we have made

Not all of the changes have been localised yet – text may only exist in English

Some events still refer to War Fervour and to the old Here King numbers even though the former has been removed and the latter has been changed

Major Changes

Decrees

A new menu has been added to the campaign interface, called Decrees.

Similar to the Rites feature in Total War: WARHAMMER II, the Decrees screen allows the player to enact one of 4 different decrees that give bonuses to their faction for a number of turns. These could range from bonuses to unit replenishment, big increases to research rate, or triggering Expeditions for the Viking Sea Kings.

Each Decree costs gold to enact and depending on faction can also have secondary costs, such as faction leader influence or culture points.

Decrees have individual cooldowns and global cooldowns.

Decrees can have unlock requirements, such as constructing a certain level of building, winning a number of battles, or researching a technology.

Some previously event-based mechanics have been merged into this system such as ‘The Witan’ for West Seaxe, ‘Hoards’ for Mierce, and the ‘Fair of Tailtiu’ for Mide.

The full list of Decrees and bonuses for each faction is detailed in the Balance Changes section of the patch notes.

Expeditions, along with being incorporated into the Decrees system, have also been reworked so that they no longer have negative outcomes. In addition, each direction of travel is now associated with bonuses:

The Isles (previously North) for farm bonuses.

The Rus (East) for trade bonuses.

The Mainlaind (Southeast) to gain bonuses from taking towns or making people your vassals.

South to gain income from raiding.

Faction Traits

There have been many changes to faction traits to reflect the new Decrees mechanic with the aim to make them more distinct. The faction trait changes are listed in the Balance Changes section.

Faction Mechanics

War Fervour has been removed. We felt it did not have the desired impact, and when it was impacting campaigns it was often in opposition to mechanics like Heroism, Legitimacy etc.

The values and effects for faction mechanics (such as heroism) are now displayed on the interface as a bar at the top of the screen.

Event Messages detailing changes in faction mechanics have been removed due to new ‘bar’.

Food is also now displayed with a bar on the main campaign screen to better visualise the bonuses it gives at different levels.

With the introduction of the Decree system as a player-initiated use for culture points, the randomised events that utilised culture points have been removed.

The effects from many of these mechanics have been updated, detailed fully in the balance change section

The ‘Cultural Equilibrium’ factor has been renamed to ‘Natural Decline’ and will now only apply if there have been no other changes to the value of Heroism/Legitimacy/Tribute in the last turn.

A new mechanic has been added to the English Kingdoms – the Burghal system. This gives bonuses depending on the factions tax level and whether the faction is at peace or at war. These bonuses are:

Very low taxes:

-50% Fyrd cap

Low taxes:

-25% Fyrd cap

+10% campaign movement range

-15% construction cost for Garrison buildings

Normal taxes:

+15% campaign movement range

-30% construction cost for Garrison buildings

High taxes:

+25% Fyrd cap

+20% campaign movement range

-60% construction cost for Garrison buildings

Very High taxes:

+50% Fyrd cap

+25% campaign movement range

-100% construction cost for Garrison buildings

Each level can also give bonuses or penalties to Public Order and faction leader influence depending on if your faction is at war or at peace. Your people prefer low taxes during peace time but will endure high taxes if you’re at war.

Supplies

Foreign soil penalty removed, instead each stance now has a supply cost and certain situations like besieging also cost more supplies.

Bonuses from positive food apply to armies in own or allied territory and the values of these bonuses have been adjusted to factor in the new way supplies work.

This means that supplies will no longer go down in allied or vassal territory if your faction has positive food. Faction food level will also play a bigger part in how quickly armies will build up supplies in your own territory

Bug Fixes

Campaign

AI will only recruit armies with a minimum of 3 units, preventing only single unit AI armies.

Strip Estate button in family tree works again and will takes player to Estates panel.

Notification icons at top of screen now correctly appear at start of a new turn.

Character details button added to ‘Trait’s Gained’ message at the start of a turn.

‘Trait’s Gained’ window can no longer be seen behind other messages.

Fix for tooltip becoming stuck on the cursor if player right-clicks a building icon with a warning icon on it.

Balance Changes

West Seaxe

Title: Witan

Enacting one decree will put all other decrees on a 10 turn cooldown

The options are:

New Laws Enacted

+10 to faction Allegiance

+100% reduction in public order penalties from other allegiances

Costs 2 faction leader influence and 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 10 turns

Relieve the Tithed

+5 pubic order

-25% tax

Costs 2 faction leader influence and 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 10 turns

The Anglo-Saxon kingdom

Requires highest level of GREAT HALL chain to unlock

-25% building construction time

+25% campaign movement range

Costs 2 faction leader influence and 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 5 turns

Gather Venerable Scholars

Requires player to have unlocked any technology branch to enact

-50% construction time for Scribe buildings

+75% research rate

Costs 2 faction leader influence and 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 3 turns

Mierce

Title: Hoards

Enacting one decree will put all other decrees on a 5 turn cooldown

The options are:

A Generous Donation

Requires highest level of CHURCH of BENEDICTINE ABBEY chain to unlock

-50% construction time for Church and Benedictine Abbey buildings

+75% research rate

Costs -10000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 10 turns, bonuses in effect for 3 turns

The People’s Army

Requires 40 units to be recruited to unlock

+25% campaign movement range

+30 XP for units per turn

+10 unit morale

Costs 10000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 10 turns, bonuses in effect for 5 turns

Our Futures Secured

Requires a rank 5 character to unlock

+5 XP for generals per turn

+2 loyalty for all characters

Costs 10000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 10 turns, bonuses in effect for 5 turns

The People’s Prince

+10 to faction Allegiance

+3 public order

Costs 10000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 10 turns, bonuses in effect for 5 turns

Gwined

Title: Decrees

Enacting one decree will put all other decrees on a 10 turn cooldown

The options are:

An Army Supplied

Requires 40 units to be recruited to unlock

+25% unit replenishment

+5 supplies

-2 unit food upkeep

Costs 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 10 turns

An Epic Verse

+10 to faction Allegiance

Increases Heroism by +10

Costs 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 10 turns

Honour His Holy Church

Requires highest level CHURCH or ABBEY chain to unlock

-50% construction time for Church and Abbey buildings

+75% research rate

Costs 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 3 turns

Infrastructure Improved

Requires player controls 20 settlements to unlock

-40% to building construction time

Costs 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 5 turns

Strat Clut

Title: Decrees

Enacting one decree will put all other decrees on a 10 turn cooldown

The options are:

An Army Supplied

Requires 40 units to be recruited to unlock

+25% unit replenishment

+5 supplies

-2 unit food upkeep

Costs 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 10 turns

An Epic Verse

+10 to faction Allegiance

Increases Heroism by +10

Costs 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 10 turns

Honour His Holy Church

Requires highest level CHURCH or ABBEY chain to unlock

-50% construction time for Church and Abbey buildings

+75% research rate

Costs 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 3 turns

Infrastructure Improved

Requires player controls 20 settlements to unlock

-40% to building construction time

Costs 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 5 turns

Circenn

Title: Decrees

Enacting one decree will put all other decrees on a 10 turn cooldown

The options are:

Noble by Nature

Requires a rank 5 character to unlock

+5 XP for generals per turn

+1 loyalty for all characters

Costs 5 Legitimacy and 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 10 turns

New Laws Enacted

+10 to faction Allegiance

Costs 5 Legitimacy and 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 10 turns

Infrastructure Improved

Requires player controls 25 settlements to unlock

-40% to building construction time

Costs 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 10 turns

Army Supplied

Requires highest level of SOUTERRAIN chain to unlock

+25% unit replenishment

+5 supplies

-2 unit food upkeep

Costs 5 Legitimacy and 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 10 turns

Mide

Title: Fair of Tailtiu

Decrees can only be chosen in summer

Enacting one decree puts all other decrees on a 4 turn cooldown

The options are:

Fair of Tailtiu

+5 public order

Costs 5 Legitimacy and 2500 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 8 turns, bonuses in effect for 4 turns

Honour the Troops

Requires victory in 10 battles to unlock

+25% unit replenishment

+50% replenishment chance for all units in recruitment pool

Costs 5 Legitimacy and 2500 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 8 turns, bonuses in effect for 4 turns

Spirits of the Dead

Major diplomatic bonus with all factions

+2 loyalty for all characters

Costs 5 Legitimacy and 2500 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 8 turns, bonuses in effect for 4 turns

New Laws Enacted

Requires highest level of MOOT HILL chain to unlock

+10 to faction Allegiance

Costs 5 Legitimacy and 2500 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 8 turns, bonuses in effect for 4 turns

East Engle

Title: Decrees

Enacting one decree puts all other decrees on a 10 turn cooldown

The options are:

Embrace the Church

Requires player to have unlocked any technology branch to enact

+75% research rate

Costs 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 3 turns

New Laws Enacted

+10 faction Allegiance

Costs 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 10 turns

A Well-fed force

Requires victory in 10 battles to unlock

Here King: +1 towards Army

+25% unit replenishment

+5 supplies

-2 unit food upkeep

Costs 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 10 turns

Great Viking Lands

Requires control of 35 settlements to unlock

-50% building construction time

Here King +1 to English

Costs 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 5 turns

Northymbre

Title: Decrees

Enacting one decree puts all other decrees on a 10 turn cooldown

The options are:

Embrace the Church

Requires player to have unlocked any technology branch to enact

+75% research rate

Costs 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 3 turns

New Laws Enacted

+10 faction Allegiance

Costs 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 10 turns

A Well-fed force

Requires victory in 10 battles to unlock

Here King: +1 towards Army

+25% unit replenishment

+5 supplies

-2 unit food upkeep

Costs 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 10 turns

Great Viking Lands

Requires control of 25 settlements to unlock

-50% building construction time

Here King +1 to English

Costs 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 5 turns

Dyflin

Title: Decrees

Enacting one decree puts all other decrees on a 10 turn cooldown

The options are:

Expedition Dispatched

Requires highest level of VIKING PORT chain to unlock

Sends out an Expedition

Costs 1000 slaves and 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses depend on what direction is chosen for Expedition

Kings of the Sea

-50% construction time for Port buildings

+50% income from Port building chains

Costs 25 Tribute and 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 5 turns

New Laws Enacted

+10 faction Allegiance

Costs 25 Tribute and 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 10 turns

An Army Supplied

Requires victory in 10 battles to unlock

+25% unit replenishment

+5 supplies

-2 unit food upkeep

Costs 25 Tribute and 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 10 turns

Sudreyar

Title: Decrees

Enacting one decree puts all other decrees on a 10 turn cooldown

The options are:

Expedition Dispatched

Requires highest level of HERRING PORT chain to unlock

Sends out an Expedition

Costs 25 Tribute and 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses depend on what direction is chosen for Expedition

Kings of the Sea

-50% construction time for Port buildings

+50% income from Port building chains

Costs 25 Tribute and 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 5 turns

New Laws Enacted

+10 faction Allegiance

Costs 25 Tribute and 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 10 turns

An Army Supplied

Requires victory in 10 battles to unlock

+25% unit replenishment

+5 supplies

-2 unit food upkeep

Costs 25 Tribute and 5000 gold to enact

Individual cooldown of 20 turns, bonuses in effect for 10 turns

Faction Mechanics

Heroism now works in the following way:

It has 1 negative and 5 positive levels with the following effects:

Negative

-4 public order

-2 faction leader influence

-3 unit morale

Positive 1

+2 unit morale

+3 melee skill for commanders unit

+20% bodyguard unit size

Positive 2

+4 unit morale

+6 melee skill for commanders unit

+40% bodyguard unit size

Positive 3

+2 XP for generals per turn

+6 unit morale

+9 melee skill for commanders unit

+60% bodyguard unit size

Positive 1

+4 XP for generals per turn

+1 influence for faction leader

+8 unit morale

+12 melee skill for commanders unit

+80% bodyguard unit size

Positive 1

+6 XP for generals per turn

+1 influence for faction leader

+10 unit morale

+15 melee skill for commanders unit

+100% bodyguard unit size

Legitimacy now works in the following way:

It has 3 negative and 3 positive levels with the following effects:

Negative 3

-3 loyalty for all characters

-30% tax

-9 melee skill for all units

-50% income from vassal kingdoms

Negative 2

-2 loyalty for all characters

-20% tax

-6 melee skill for all units

-30% income from vassal kingdoms

Negative 1

-1 loyalty for all characters

-10% tax

-3 melee skill for all units

-20% income from vassal kingdoms

Positive 1

+10% tax

+3 melee skill for all units

+30% income from vassal kingdoms

Positive 2

Annexation available – can annex allied factions of same culture

+20% tax

+6 melee skill for all units

+40% income from vassal kingdoms

Positive 3

Annexation available – can annex allied factions of same culture

+30% tax

+9 melee skill for all units

+50% income from vassal kingdoms

Here King now works in the following way:

It has 3 levels for Army, 3 levels for English with the following effects:

English 3

+6 to faction Allegiance

+60 diplomatic bonus to all English factions

+50% commerce income

English 2

+4 to faction Allegiance

+40 diplomatic bonus to all English factions

+25% commerce income

English 1

+2 to faction Allegiance

+20 diplomatic bonus to all English factions

+10% commerce income

Army 1

+10 XP for units per turn

+10% upkeep cost for all units

+5 unit morale

+20% replenishment chance for all units in recruitment pool

Army 2

+20 XP for units per turn

+20% upkeep cost for all units

+10 unit morale

+40% replenishment chance for all units in recruitment pool

Army 3

+30 XP for units per turn

+30% upkeep cost for all units

+15 unit morale

+60% replenishment chance for all units in recruitment pool

Tribute now works in the following way:

It has 1 negative and 5 positive levels with the following effects:

Negative

-2 influence for faction leader

+10% unit upkeep

-3 unit morale

-2 loyalty for all characters

Positive 1

-10% unit upkeep

+20% replenishment chance for all units in recruitment pool

Positive 2

-10% unit upkeep

+40% replenishment chance for all units in recruitment pool

Positive 3

-10% unit upkeep

+60% replenishment chance for all units in recruitment pool

+1 unit experience for new recruits

Positive 4

+2 to faction Allegiance

-10% unit upkeep

+80% replenishment chance for all units in recruitment pool

+2 unit experience for new recruits

Positive 5

+4 to faction Allegiance

-10% unit upkeep

+100% replenishment chance for all units in recruitment pool

+3 unit experience for new recruits

General

New effects added to West Seaxe and East Engle at the start of the campaign which gives a diplomatic bonus to each other to reflect the recent treaty they’ve signed. West Seaxe’s mission to conquer East Engle will also not trigger until this effect expires by turn 10.

Hold Feast political action now gives a penalty to food production for 4 turns and has a 4-turn cooldown.

Upkeep cost of Estates doubled.

Effects from taxes have been changed in the following ways:

Public order penalties from high and very high taxes increased.

Food bonus on high and very high taxes reduced from 25% and 50% to 15% and 30%

Guthrum’s background trait changed to Fearless

Guthrum’s starting influence has been increased

Buildings

Base income of most buildings reduced by 10% as new combination chain bonuses were providing too much income.

Food upkeep added to the following chains:

Assembly

Estate

Moot Hill

Thing

Law

Konungsgurtha

Bard

Court School

Nunnaminster

Library

Embroiders

Scribes

Scoan Abbey

Alehouse

Runestones

Church Crafts

Tools

Artisans

Hogbacks

Mill chain now has an upkeep cost.

Food production bonuses for the Warehouse and Mill chains reduced.

Reduced food gained from Port chain.

Allegiance bonus added to Law, Thing, and Moot Hill chains.

Bonuses for the new Village settlement branches re-balanced to make each a viable option.

New bonuses added to the Saint building chains to make each one unique:

St Cainnech – diplomatic bonus with other factions

St Brigit – increases child chance for all characters

St Ciaran – reduces construction costs in the province

St Columbe – gives public order bonus to surrounding provinces as well

St Cuthbert – bonus to army morale in the province it is in and surrounding provinces

St Dewi – improves research rate

St Edmund – improves faction leader influence

St Patraic – improves Allegiance in all your territory

St Ringan – improves Church income in all your territory

St Swithun – improves food production in its and surrounding provinces

Here King: The King of the Danes here in Britannia must play a delicate game to stay at the top. Find the balance between appeasing the English and your army

East Engle

Guthrum’s Will: The King of the Danelaw rewards those who raid and conquer in his name. Get missions to fight and unique rewards for your aggression

Very strong axe infantry and good balance of other units. Has access to Berserkers and powerful Anglian Champions

+50% Reinforcement range

Northymbre

Ragnar’s Legacy: The Viking warlord Ragnar was killed by the Anglo-Saxons. Seek revenge for his death!

Very strong axe infantry. Has access to Berserkers. Good all-round infantry, including powerful Northumbrian Spearmen

+15% Trade

VIKING SEA KINGS

Expedition: The world is yours for the taking – send your ships to conquer new lands.

Tribute: Other Kingdoms pay tribute as a sign of their submission. Get tribute from other factions to gain bonuses

Immune to seasickness and high seas attrition

Dyflin

Slave Trade: For some, the keeping of slaves is an integral part of their culture. Gain slaves by winning battles and raiding, sacking or occupying settlements. Sell them each turn and improve income by building Thrall Traders

Very strong axe infantry. Has access to Berserkers. Good general unit diversity and strong javelinmen

+25% Income from Port building chains

Sudreyar

Field of Assembly: An assembly of free men and lawmakers who meet to decide the matters of the day. IT sends the army on missions to keep them busy.

Very strong axe and sword infantry. Has access to Berserkers and Norse units. Good unit diversity.

+15% Campaign movement range

Technologies

Warlord’s Power tech now gives +4 allegiance instead of a bonus to War Fervour.

Cultural Osmosis gives +100% reduction in public order penalties from other Allegiances, which replaces modifiers given to faction/cultural mechanics.

Removed public order bonus from church music.

True Sovereignty now gives +4 to faction allegiance, which replaces modifiers given to faction/culture mechanics.

For East Engle and Northymbre, the end of every Civic tech branch shifts the Here King bar 1 step towards the English, and the end of every Military tech branch shifts the bar 1 step towards the army.